Surge

  I have had a brief hiatus from blogging....it happens to the best of us....I've not stopped running by any means, however I have put back on 8 lbs!!!!
   It flat out stinks that the fat can attach itself so quickly!!! I have been very bad in my eating lately, too!
  I bought some new trail running shoes...per my sons suggestion, New Balance 1110 MT...really nice fit and I've enjoyed them greatly.
  I'm proud of my son, he has taken up running and is building towards a goal race next April. He's slimming down and getting stronger. Nothing like running!!!
  I started a new training program yesterday....another time to "surge". I will begin to incorporate treadmill with outdoor training, watching my diet (bleh) and staying laser beam focused! Goal: To lose 15 lbs (again) taking me to 165. Running a 25K February 16, 2013, and then running with my son in his race in April with a final marathon in April. I am going to do it this time! Sub four or bust!
  I hope to catch up with your blog! Thanks for remembering me:) Peace!
 

Merry Christmas to all!!

  I wish you all a Merry Christmas and the best year yet! Today I managed to complete my goal of 350 total treadmill minutes this week resulting in 34.05 treadmiles.
  I did 2 X 1 mile repeats toady at 7.4mph (8:06pace @ 1 degree incline) and I am really surprised how good I felt?! My cardio is definately improving! I am pumped! Over all my body is staying in good shape....the treadmill is soooooo forgiving!! I do still hope to run a race next Saturday......we will see?
  My weigh in went good but I am going to say I am still at 179 because it's really in between 178 and 179....still too much junk food around me!!!!! "Tis the season! Peace!!

Like an Elf before Christmas?!?!

  Busy, busy, busy!! Hospital, wedding, study, writing, running.....time! Time flies...and I'm the pilot!!!
  I managed to get in a solid GA run..."general aerobic". As defined in "Advanced Marathoning".
   I set the pace on 6.1 mph after a good warm-up and cruised into a 50 minute 4.72 treadmile run.
  I remain determined to run smart and lose fat. I kind of feel fat today? Down 7 pounds it seems hard to break off another pound? Kind of a plateau right now?
  Oh well....I expect all the cookies, and peanut clusters can't help! :) So all I have left is 35 minutes of Treadmill time to reach my goal this week!
  I really felt good today. The pace was what I would call "slightly strained conversational". You can converse but you have to grab breath...
  I will do some pace work tomorrow....undecided as yet but I am a believer in the SAID principle. Specific adaptions to imposed demands....So if I want to run fast I must train fast! Have a great day!!! Peace!

Scientific?

  I have read nearly every book on running in my years. I have quite a library! You'd think I'd figure it out! So I am trying to put it all together into a training plan that I can use on the treadmill and transition to the roads.
  My PRIMARY goal...I must hold to this....is to lose pounds!!! I am down a solid 7 and have at least 7 to go....in all reality I truly believe I ought to be in the 160's but 172 is my goal as of right now.
  So I need to maintain focus and not run into injury again. Today it was hard to do but I forced myself to run a "recovery" run. The pace is important. I held between 5.2 mph and 5.6 mph....running the majority of the 55 minutes at 5.6mph.
  This was an easy conversational pace and I really didn't feel any residual effect from the speed session yesterday.
  My goal this week is 350 treadmill minutes total. I am up to 265, leaving 85 minutes for two runs. Tomorrow will be a "general aerobic" run. I will probably run this at the top end which will be 6.2 or 6.3mph.
  Then Saturday will be a couple of 10K pace miles or faster...I think, kind of a tempo run.
   Well, I sure hope you all have a wonderful Christmas time. I look forward to seeing my youngest son, and am sad because the oldest and his family can't come home this year...but we have skype!!! I am conflicted about Christmas this year....I enjoy and rejoice in the reason for the celebration but not having the family together is a downer..... Peace!!

Keep burnin'!

  I am getting serious! Today during the second to last interval I asked myself "Why am I doing this!" Have you ever thought that while you were suffering?  I guess because I want to attain or achieve a particular goal, therefore I must suffer! Actually to achieve any level of success there is always a cost. So my desire is to burn fat! I also want to improve my fitness level. So today I did some treadmill speed work. I developed a little ladder workout. After a good warm-up of 1.250 miles I did a 1/2 at 7.9mph, 1/4 rest, .625 @ 7.8, 1/4 rest, .75 @ 7.7, 1/4 rest, .625 @ 7.6, 1/4 rest, .5 @ 8mph, 1/4 rest, 1/4 @ 8.3, 1 mile cool down. Finished with 70 minutes total and 6.82 treadmiles.
  It was on the last 1/2 mile interval I was beginning to suffer. I concentrated on holding good form and staying relaxed. I was right on the brink of oxygen debt. I really think my fitness level is improving! Plus being 7 pounds lighter helps!!
  I figure I have burned off 24,500 calories in the last 7 weeks! It's happening! I am slimming down! Oh man it's hard to do with all the cookies, chocolates, pies, etc, that are available during this season! I have a vision though....I see me running the roads again. Injury free, busting the tape of a marathon in 3:59!
  All I have to do is keep burnin'! Peace!

 
 

Surviving the Stinker

 Man my hamstrings are sore! Yesterdays run really stuck it to me....goes to show how far from being in shape I am....plus today I seemed to be tired as I began my workout. The intention was to run a recovery run and try to maintain at least 5.6 mph...I actually had to slow down a couple of times and walk @ 4mph....just toasted. Finally at about 38 minutes I began to feel a little better and set in at 5.6 mph  and cruised home to a 60 minute recovery run and 5.12 treadmiles.
   My goal is 350 treadmill minutes this week. I'm at 140 so far with a hard run and a recovery run. Tomorrows run all depends on these hammies! Peace!

It's beginning to look a lot like training!

   I am at the point in my journey on the treadmill that I can begin to seriously consider training. I seem to be in the pattern of dropping a pound a week and I expect that to continue.
  I started today with a plan to vary the workouts and still log around 350 minutes of treadmill time. So 80 minutes today and 8.27 treadmiles.  The run was designed for distance and an increase in pace....felt good! Peace!

Recovery day

  So I feel okay, but man running was hard today! I wound up with what would be termed a recovery run. The slowest pace one could run! 48 minutes 4.13 treadmiles. I am in caloric deficit! I am hungry! This only eating three times a day is tough! Yet the plan is working as I am at a solid 179 pounds right now. That being halfway to my initial goal of 172.
  I have a tendency to take things to the extreme....I am highly motivated right now...hope I can hold on! I plan on a short session tomorrow...perhaps a one mile time trial....I wonder if I could hold a 7 min mile pace for a mile? It will depend on how I am feeling, if it's like today forget it! Oh well I have some exciting dinner plans tonight! Chinese!! Egg roll, crab rangoon, Sweet and sour Chicken...Oh yeah!! I am gonna take in some calories! Peace!!

A fool and his treadmill are soon parted!

  I hope I am not being an idiot! I have run on the treadmill 5 days in a row and each run has been what I would have called hard.
   Today I ran 67 minutes and did 6.52 miles. I did 2 minute intervals starting at 4mph going up 1mph each 2 minutes to 8mph.
  It turns out this was kind of like an interval training run. Around 50 minutes I began to really feel it! I hung on and reached 67 minutes.
   I don't want to burn out or get injured but the body is feeling good! The treadmill is so much more forgiving than the ground! My plan for weight loss first then road work is on track! I broke into the 170's!!! 179 today!!
  I am thinking about a trial race December 31st. There is a 5k in Springfield. I wonder what it would be like to run it seeing as I haven't run on the road for nearly 8 weeks! What do you think?
   I am slimming and today I noticed that I could comfortably handle 7mph! Hope all is well with you!! Peace!

Treadmill speedwork

Well....I'm training how I feel, I felt like I could handle a speed session today. I've been studying and researching how to burn fat at the fastest possible rate....I am an obsessive type you know :)...and interval training is one of the sure fire ways to burn fat and improve VO2 max.
  I have been putting lots of time in and at decent paces and I am most definitely seeing the results. Today I weighed in at 179!!! I haven't been under 180 in several years. I am actually half way to my goal of reaching 172 lbs.
   So with feeling good and motivation I went with a clear plan of 5X1/2 mile with 1/4 rest intervals. The pace speed was 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, and 8mph. I am telling you these paces seemed a lot faster that what I remember them to be on the track?!
  I did a mile warm-up and cool-down finishing the work out in 56 minutes with 5.55 treadmiles.
 I have become very aware of my caloric intake and am more aware of what I'm eating and it's nutritional value. Hope all is well with you! Peace

Three hard ones

   I have strung three hard workouts in a row....probably not wise but I am going by feel so I felt like I could do it today. Funny how the tendinitis is not bothering me....I guess the plan is working with the exception of the runners knee flare-up. Nothing serious but probably to be expected because of the steady increase of miles and the higher intensity than normal. I am burning up the calories! I am almost half way to my goal!! I am so so close to breaking into the 170's!!
   66 minutes today at base pace, 6.46 treadmill miles...I am not sure of the work-out tomorrow but I am sure I need to cut down a little....peace!!

Another Treadmill PR...

   This is getting fun! I averaged 9:15's for my 64 minute treadmill run today which was 6.91 treadmill miles. That counts the warm-up and gradual increase to 6mph by the 10 minute mark. I then began increasing by .1 mph every 2 minutes up to 7.5 mph which is 8 min per mile pace. I held that for 8 minutes then went back to 6 mph and started over again with the ladder. A good run, felt good after three days off. I so over ate on the trip! I put so many calories back in the system that I had burned off....but it was fun doing it!!!
  I finished the week with 25+ treadmill miles so I am still on track even with the trip thrown in....I plan on continuing the gradual increasing next week and probably will break into the 30 treadmile range.
  I am considering an outdoor run but I still need to stick with my program....strictly weight loss!!!! Peace

Day #3 week #7

  Well, so far my thinking has been right on target. I began my training plan at the end of October...to start with 30 minutes of ez running on the treadmill and adding a minute every run. I have run everyday but Sundays, I haven't added a minute every day, though. I do a speed session on Saturdays and one cut down run day during the week.
  My objective is to lose 14 pounds. Today I have lost 5 to date and have a weigh in Saturday where I anticipate another pound off.
   It's very difficult to lose pounds when you aren't really overweight!? Yet I still have some to go....what's great about this is my Achilles tendons have not been buggin' me...I have logged 3hrs and 6 mins already this week and I am feeling great!
  The treadmill is much much easier on the body! No doubt! I know I will eventually have to transition to the roads but the 14 lb decrease ought to make the difference.
  Today an easy conversational pace, 63 minutes 6.36.treadmill miles.
 I will be out of the loop for a few days as I get to spend time with my Sons, Daughter-in-law and Grandson! Peace!

Treadmill PR

  62 minutes on the mill today....it is snowing and very cold outside today so it was perfect for an indoor run! I covered 6.59 treadmill miles in that time giving me my best pace speed average so far during this training program.
  I always start out with a walking warm-up @ 4mph for about 2 minutes, then I go to 5 mph for a minute or two, then I begin increasing as I feel...today I was at 6.2 mph at 14 minutes and I finished out at 6.9 mph. I am amazed at how my body is responding, especially at my age, so this should be encouraging to you youngsters! No heel pain! No Achilles tendinitis!! I am losing weight and getting stronger. Of course it is very difficult to abstain from food! We Americans take in way more calories than we need! I was telling Sandy how if we all managed out calories we would save so much food and money we could easily feed everyone in the world!
  Did you know that 32% of American kids are obese!!! Wow! Who am I to talk! I do love a buffet, but I haven't been to one in weeks!!!
  We hope you are well! Peace!
 

Week #7 begins

        I am on vacation!!!!!!! I am happy!! I need a break!!! Please don't miss understand, I absolutely love what I do, yet some of the situations I deal with are very wearisome....I wish I could discuss some of them but it wouldn't be prudent!:)
  Anyway, I jumped on the treadmill for 61 minutes today at 1 degree incline, attaining 5.86 treadmill miles. A nice conversational pace run, simply designed to burn calories!
  I feel good! Heel and tendons are all cooperating, weight is gradually coming off...it's hard to lose weight! Must keep on so I can run again! Peace!

Saturday speed...

   Finally made it to the mill....a busy day! Played a Bluegrass benefit concert today. A friend of mine is battling cancer and we are trying to help offset expenses, etc. A good crowd, and I hope generous hearts.
  So I had 4x1/2 mile at 7.5 mph  increasing by .1 mph each interval. Did it, and felt good! I need to keep my focus. I am wanting to start training but I must remember I am in a strictly weight lose program right now.
  The less weight the less stress on the tendons! Btw they feel great! My weigh in this morning showed 181 lbs. That's 5 pounds off! It is a slow process but I am seeing results!
 Hope you had a great day! Peace!!

I am hungry!

Wow! Cutting calories is really hard! I live hungry! Last night Sandy and I met up at the Rib-Crib, a restaurant, and I had a Chicken salad! Talk about change! Usually I'm the Ribs and fries guy! The salad filled me up! I felt blotted and like I'd eaten too much...I think my stomach is shrinking!?
  I really, really want to go to a buffet! Since Sandy is working so much O.T. we are having to meet for dinner considering our nearly every night activities....tonight is no different...I want a buffet! I feel like I'm training for a marathon...I'm starving:)
  Today I just did an EZ calorie burner. 40 minutes on the mill. Tomorrow I hope to knock off 60 minutes on the mill and burn more calories! Peace!

Driven!

  So I continue to be driven....up and at work by 6:50 this morning....after a really nice time reading my Bible...Psalm 80 really helped to encourage me....I have found after 12 1/2 years as a Pastor that this job is kinda like the Maytag repair man...lonely!
  So I finally hit the mill by 3 O'clock and by minute 17 was warmed and up to 6.3 mph. I held this pace for 21 minutes then upped to 6.4 and held for 10:30, then 6.5 for 5:15, 6.6 the rest of the way to 59 minutes today. I hit six treadmill miles right at 59 minutes. Felt good, ran easy and with good form. I continue to deny calories! Only eating the three meals. I can see the weight loss in my face and notice the belt having to go up a notch...this encourages and motivates.
  I am driven! I will reach 172! So I have put in 174 treadmill running minutes this week, I have easily burned over 2700 calories....I hope the treadmill doesn't fry!!! Peace!
 

Base Pace

  I need to note that all my treadmill runs are run at 1 on the incline. This is equal to running on a track....flat.
  I have been very hungry! With watching every calorie and not snacking...at all!.. I have heard my tummy grumble more than ever!
  I don't want to get unhealthy? I have been living in the deficit....burning more than taking in...I must lose the fat!! Today I ran across a little bag of whoppers at the church...I picked them up...oh man....and I said no! I put them down!!!!
  When you realize how much it takes to burn a calorie you start saying no! I spent some time looking for a marathon to run...Little Rock in March or Frisco in April. We will see.
  One thing for sure....this idea is working. My heels are not burning or hurting...they are healing!
  58 minutes on the mill....@ base pace...5.32 miles. Tomorrow I hope to knock off 59 minutes...depends on how I feel. Today I was sluggish and weak until 48 minutes then I felt great! Peace!

Week #6 begins

     Well I was up and after it by 5:30 today! I am so back logged on stuff  needing to get done! Even though I consider myself very self-disciplined I still have way to much needing done! I accomplished a bunch today, though and I still have some hours left!!
   I got my treadmill run in, too! 57 minutes of fat burning ( I hope:)).
 My workout was a good warm-up to 15 minutes attaining 6.2mph, then I increased 1/10th of an mph per minute up to the 25 minute mark, then I went back to 6.2 mph and increased 1/10 mph per 2 minutes up to the 45 minute mark, then back to 6.2 mph increasing 1/10th mph per 3 minutes to the 57 minute goal.
  Felt strong and confident. I continue to work on good form, and dream of tearing up a 5K soon! However; I simply must burn this fat before I race! Wonder what weigh in day will bring? Peace!